51 Best Hotels in Laos

A five-minute drive from the airport, this modern hotel with a sweeping art-nouveau facade has a pleasant location in front of Fa Ngum Park. The Mercure has all the usual Accor chain comforts and facilities, including a dance club that is popular with locals.

Opened in 2016, this eco-focused resort 10 miles out of Oudomxay's center is set amid the natural beauty around Nam Kat Waterfall and is quite popular with domestic tourists. The rooms and villas, some with private plunge pools, mix rattan, bamboo, and terra-cotta tiles. It's quite luxurious for the region. There is also a glamping option with en-suite bathrooms and plush beds to truly go "full nature" without sacrificing comfort. The infinity pool, set against a backdrop of forested hills, is the resort's best touch. Ziplining through the forest is definitely recommended!

Of Ban Muang Ngoi's many simple guesthouses, this one is probably the best. It has 17 clean and spacious bungalows with plain white walls, fans, wooden decks and floorboards, and good mosquito netting. There's also a very good restaurant, which overlooks the river and has the best sunset views in town.

Pakse's oldest hotel was refurbished in 2018 and keeps offering well-maintained, centrally located rooms, though the deluxe ones are better value. They're furnished in bamboo and rattan, and have large beds, river views, a writing desk and chairs, and decent-sized bathrooms. The rooftop terrace and restaurant area is a pleasant sunset retreat, with a fine view of the town and surrounding countryside.

Nestled on the southern edge of town, these bungalows of bamboo thatch are a simple and good enough base for exploring the area. A plus is the fact that it's owned by a local tour company, so can assist you in getting farther afield. 

The enormous Mekong Riverview rooms with terraces are the way to go at this inviting riverside property. All the rooms are modern and well-equipped, with flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars, and other amenities. The beautiful swimming pool, a marvelous place to lounge, edges the river. The hotel arranges afternoon boat cruises to see the Khone Phapheng waterfall, helpful for visitors without the time to head down to Don Khon.

Family-run guesthouses are common in Luang Prabang, but this one stands out for making patrons feel right at home. The Rattana sisters, Somsanith and Somporn; their mother; and their adopted daughter are extremely knowledgeable and helpful (one sister works for an established tour operator, the other is a doctor). Rooms are bright, clean, and comfortable. Rooms 101 and 102 have small balconies; note that 102 has a detached, though private, bath. There's no restaurant.

About a third of the wood-floor rooms in this midtown hotel (not to be confused with the similarly named Houayxay Riverside) have superb Mekong River views. All rooms come with air-conditioning, TVs, hot water, and minibars, and the adjoining restaurant is among Huay Xai's best options for a meal with a memorable view. The Riverside, next to the former ferry crossing to Chiang Khong, Thailand, is a decent choice for a convenient night's rest. 

Situated outside the city by a pleasant waterfall, the Rosewood is a romantic sanctuary, that takes its decor cues from the heritage architecture of the city and traditional Lao art. Rooms vary from riverside and pool villas up to luxury tents on top of a hill with panoramic views. There's also a spa and the hotel operates its own river cruises.

Spotless and super cheap, this place in the center of town is the ideal Luang Prabang guesthouse. Rooms are basic but have TVs and private bathrooms. Best of all, it's near several bakeries: the Croissant d' Or is next door, and the Luang Prabang Bakery and Scandinavian Bakery are just across the road.

There are three types of rooms at this charming resort: French colonial-style rooms, adobe-style rooms in a garden, and atmospheric "raftels" floating on the Mekong. The 4,000 Sunsets restaurant serves decent food, and there's a swimming pool.

Rooms with Lao textiles and decor, finely crafted wood floors, and modern amenities like flat-screen TVs and fast Wi-Fi make this boutique hotel on a quiet downtown street a splendid choice. Some rooms have temple views, and a spa, a bar, and a decent restaurant are on-site. The staff here speaks fluent English, a plus in these parts. The hotel is a block or so up from the river in the heart of the city center. The 4th-floor Pepper Wood Bar is highly recommended for its creative tipples and nice view.

The large rooms here have flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, and large en-suite bathrooms, elevating the Sengphachan above most other accommodations in town.

Tastefully put together by a Lao-Australian couple, Silver Naga has well-planned spacious rooms with all the modern conveniences and an infinity pool that overlooks the Nam Song. Yoga classes are also available to bring inner harmony. There's an on-site branch of Naked Espresso here, where you can get the best lattes in a hundred-mile radius.

Though some say this elegant hotel was a French governor's mansion, in actuality it was the colonial-era prison (complete with guard towers); regardless, it's now one of Luang Prabang's most exclusive resorts. Slightly hidden away on a quiet side street, the hotel's historic buildings stand amid lovely courtyards. One building is a spa, one is a cooking school, and there is a swimming pool along with a sunken seating area with a bonfire for chilly nights. Rooms come with poster beds and have either hot tubs or plunge pools. The restaurant serves fantastic farm-to-table Lao and French cuisine.

Neatly arranged in a lush meadow that faces a blue lagoon sheltered by an impressive karst formation, this series of squeaky-clean bamboo bungalows is set 2 km from Kong Lor's entrance. If the stunning natural setting isn't enough, the on-site restaurant dishes up pretty good Lao and international mains, and staff can get you to Kong Lor with a scenic water-taxi ride.

This charming hotel feels almost like a ski chalet, as it sits on a small hill with views of town. Rooms are cozy and some even have fireplaces for the cold winters here (it can get down to freezing). The decor is reminiscent of American national park lodges, with white stucco, stone walls, and antlers as decor.

The final residence of Laos's royal family has been renovated into one of the Old Town's most luxurious addresses. Perfectly situated next to Wat Xieng Thong and fronting the Mekong at the quiet northern end of the peninsula, this hotel evokes Luang Prabang's heritage but also pampers guests with an au courant spa and a sterling riverside restaurant. Some rooms have private plunge pools.

The last Crown Princess's son-in-law converted this 19th-century royal residence in the heart of Luang Prabang into a boutique hotel. The old building on Sakkarin Road has been renovated and houses the Royal Suites, as well as the hotel restaurant and swimming pool, while the newer wing, around the corner, has quiet rooms a short stroll from the Mekong River. The open-air terrace restaurant serves Lao and international cuisine.

It might look a bit uninspiring from the outside, but the spotless refurbished rooms here have all the bells and whistles that travelers come to expect, even in such a remote part of Laos. The old historic downtown area is just outside the door.

This guesthouse is a stone's throw away from everything---even the night market is just across the street---with rooms that are wood-paneled and comfortable enough between treks. Some rooms are fan-cooled, while others have air-conditioning. The hotel's restaurant is also a good option for a meal or two.